Ancillary device for positioning a bone graft in a joint in order to ensure arthrodesis of the joint

1. A method for arthrodesis of a joint between at least two bones separated by an articular slot, said at least two bones having ends and defining said articular slot, said method comprising the steps of:

Cutting in situ at least one first bone fragment at an end of one of said at least two bones, said end of one of said at least two bones, referred to as the first bone, so that the first bone fragment has a bleeding surface and an articular surface with said articular surface at least partially defining the articular slot; and

Moving in situ the first bone fragment so that at least one portion of its bleeding surface comes into contact with a second bone of said at least two bones, referred to as the second bone, so as to enable osteosyntheis of said first bone fragment with said second bone.

2. The method according to claim 1 , in which said second bone has an articular surface ( 3 B), and wherein during the moving step, at least one portion of the bleeding bone surface ( 2 ′B) of the first bone fragment is placed opposite the articular surface ( 3 B) of the second bone.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the cutting step includes a phase of providing a generally cylindrical bone sample ( 7 ) in the first bone, said generally cylindrical bone sample forming said first bone fragment.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein during the cutting step, a generally cylindrical recess ( 6 ) is formed, in which the bone sample is contained ( 7 ).

5. The method according to claim 4 , in which said second bone has an articular surface, and wherein the moving step involves causing said bone sample to turn around in said recess according to an angle sufficient for enabling at least one portion of the bleeding bone surface to be placed opposite the articular surface of the second bone.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the bone sample is caused to turn until its articular surface ( 2 ′C) is no longer opposite the articular surface ( 3 B) of the second bone.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second bone ( 3 ) has an end ( 3 A) having cartilage and/or damaged bone portions, said method further comprising a step of resectioning said end ( 3 A) of the second bone defining the articular slot in order to remove the cartilage and/or the damaged bone portions.

8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of cutting a second bone fragment at an end of the second bone, such that the second bone fragment also comprises a bleeding bone surface and an articular surface which at least partially defines the articular slot; and

Moving the first and second bone fragments so as to place the respective bleeding bone surfaces opposite one another.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the articular slot has a longitudinal axis (XX′) and wherein the cutting step further comprises a phase in which a first ( 7 ′) and a second ( 7 ″) generally cylindrical bone sample are provided, wherein said first and second bone samples form said first and second bone fragments ( 2 ′, 3 ′) and extend parallel to one another, along the longitudinal axis (XX′).

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein during the cutting step, a first ( 6 ) and a second ( 6 ″) generally cylindrical recess are provided, in which the first and second bone samples, respectively, are contained, and which extend parallel to one another, along the longitudinal axis (XX′).

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the moving step involves causing said first and second bone samples to turn around in their respective recesses according to an angle sufficient to enable their respective bleeding bone surfaces to be placed opposite one another.

12. Simultaneously cutting the first bone fragment at the end of the first bone and a second bone fragment at an end of the second bone so as to form a recess and a cut surface of said first bone and a cut surface of said second bone, and in said recess, a bone graft constituted by a juxtaposition of the first and second bone fragments, wherein the bone graft extends on each side of the articular slot, between a first bleeding surface, located opposite the cut surface of said first bone, and a second bleeding surface, located opposite the cut surface of said second bone; and

Moving the bone graft in said recess so that at least one portion of the first bleeding surface is opposite the cut surface of said second bone, and at least one portion of the second bleeding bone surface is opposite the cut surface of said first bone, so as to enable osteosynthesis of said first and second bone fragments with said second and first bones, respectively.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the cutting step further comprises a phase in which a generally cylindrical bone sample ( 7 ), which forms said bone graft ( 5 ) is formed.

14. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the moving step involves causing the bone graft ( 5 ) to turn around in the recess ( 8 ) according to an angle sufficient to enable the first and second bleeding bone surfaces ( 2 ′B, 3 ′B) to be placed opposite the cut surfaces of the second and first bones ( 3 C, 2 C), respectively.

15. The method according to claim 12 , wherein during the moving step, the bone graft is turned substantially one quarter turn.

16. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising a compression step (c) for causing radial expansion of the bone graft ( 5 ) in order to improve the contact between the first and second bleeding bone surfaces and the cut surfaces of the first and second bones.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein said recess has an internal wall ( 8 I′), and wherein the compression step is adequate to ensure that the bone graft ( 5 ) is immobilized by friction on the internal wall of the recess.

18. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising, after the moving step, a step of locking the bone graft ( 5 ) in position with respect to the first and second bones ( 2 , 3 ), using a suitable attachment means ( 10 ), so as to ensure arthrodesis of the joint.

19. The method according to claim 18 , in which an attachment implant ( 10 ) is provided for effecting the compression step and the locking step, and wherein the compression and locking steps are performed simultaneously, using the same attachment implant ( 10 ).

20. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising a step of inserting driving means ( 21 ) in the articular slot ( 4 ), wherein said driving means ( 21 ) are provided with support means ( 22 ) suitable for moving the first bone fragment.

21. The method according to claim 20 , further comprising a step of centering cutting means ( 40 ), which are suitable for performing the cutting step, on the driving means ( 21 ) inserted in the articular slot ( 4 ).

22. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the cutting step is performed with an ancillary device ( 20 ) provided with cutting means ( 40 ) comprising a substantially cylindrical hollow tube ( 41 ), so as to form a generally cylindrical recess ( 6 , 6 ′, 6 ″, 8 ) containing the first bone fragment ( 2 ′), wherein said tube ( 41 ) is left in place in said recess after said cutting step so as to form means for guiding said first bone fragment in rotation during the moving step.

23. The method according to claim 22 , further comprising a step of inserting driving means ( 21 ) in the articular slot ( 4 ), wherein said driving means ( 21 ) are provided with support means ( 22 ) suitable for moving the first bone fragment, the method further comprising a step of temporarily connecting said driving means ( 21 ) together with the cutting means ( 40 ), so as to enable the surgeon to rotate the bone fragment in turning the ancillary device ( 20 ) during the moving step.

24. The method according to claim 22 , further comprising a step of extracting the cutting means, wherein the bone fragment is held in place in the recess by holding means coming into contact with said bone fragment while the cutting means is urged by a relative extraction movement.